Heat Transfer Warehouse Archives

Posted on May 28, 2023May 25, 2023 by silhouettesecretsplus — 2 Comments

Silhouette Secrets+ Behind the Scenes Look – Project Creation

Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This month I am participating in a project challenge hosted by Heat Transfer Warehouse.

We received a box with some supplies inside and are tasked with creating a project.
The rules were simple. We could only use products from the package we received, we had to use at least 3 products from the package, and our theme was Mental Health.

So first, here is my challenge submission.

Everyone approaches a project differently and I thought I’d share how I tackled this one.
Keep in mind there is more than one way to get things done, so my process might not be the same as yours.
You do what works for you!

Supplies I used:

– Every Day is a New Beginning by Jillibean Soup – Design #392220
– Hibiscus Flower Bunch by Samantha Walker – Design #10873
– Honu Turtle by Suzanne Cannon – Design #291495
– Waves by Tanya Batrak – Design #301458
– Bella Canvas Fleece Shorts
– Port Authority Outdoor UV Bucket Hat
*this might be my new favorite – it is UV and bug repellent so maybe the mosquitos will leave me alone
– Siser Glitter HTV Ember Orange
– WALAKut White HTV
– WALAKut Black
– WALAKut Yellow
– Siser Heat Press

My Project Design Process

Step 1 – Assess the Materials

These are the items we received in our challenge package and the only ones we could use for the challenge.

Step 2 – Brainstorm Ideas

I do most of my brainstorming sitting in front of the TV with my Ipad in hand and browsing Pinterest and design websites. And then I start a list of possibilities and any idea I think of goes on the list.
Most times, my list will not make much sense to anyone but me and sometimes even I can’t remember what I was thinking when I wrote it.

I had to think about this one a bit with the theme of mental health.
I searched and searched for designs with this theme and as I did, I found I was drawn to things that speak to me. And this may not make sense to anyone but me, but isn’t that what it is all about?
You can’t pour from an empty cup and each person has to find what fills them back up.
All of these items speak to me in one way or another. I settled on the Honu turtle, hibiscus flowers, and I felt the Turtle New Day new Beginning saying fit perfectly with this category – for me.

Your design may be something completely different or maybe it isn’t even craft related at all.

Step 3 – Create a Mock Up

When I’m designing I will use shapes or images of the actual blank I’m working with to see how it will look.

In this case, it helped me to get an idea of how the designs would look on the Bella Canvas Fleece Shorts and also a little bit of an idea on how the colors might look too!

Check out this post Creating a Mock Up in Silhouette Studio for how I do this.

And I wanted to decorate the Port Authority Outdoor UV Bucket Hat but I instead of getting a photo of the item, I needed measurements.

I took measurements of the brim of the hat on the outer edge and the inner edge. Then drew 2 circles that size and center aligned them.
Then I could design around the brim of the hat with the waves and turtle design.

Next I measured the width of the bucket part of the hat and the diameter so I could draw a long rectangle and use that to design within.

This gave me a pretty good idea of what would fit and how many I needed to cut.

Step 4 – Get Started Cutting

Once I have settled on a design – which can be the longest part of the process for me – it’s time to start cutting!

And then it’s time to weed the designs.

And then time to press it all and see how it comes together!

Pressing on the hat was interesting and I just continued to work around the hat in small sections using a pressing pillow.

Step 5 – Final Photos

And then taking the photos of the finished projects!

This may be the part I struggle with the most and I just continue taking photos until I get some with good lighting. That could be setting up in my studio with photo lights or using natural lighting outside.

Now I’ve shared a behind-the-scenes look at how I work when I’m creating a project!
Do you have a method in how you approach a project?
Let us know in the comments below.

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Enjoy !

THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click HERE & buy a coffee.
Every little bit helps with the cost of running the site.

Looking for more in-depth, step-by-step classes, check out all of my online Silhouette classes on my Teachable site HERE.

Posted on May 12, 2023 by silhouettesecretsplus — 2 Comments

Crafting with WALA Adhesive Rhinestone Sheets from Heat Transfer Warehouse

Ok, so maybe I should have called myself the “Crazy Craft Lady” or something like that.
Well, that name is probably taken, but by the end of this project I kind of felt that way…. but I couldn’t stop.
Each time I did, I would get a new idea to try.

Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I received a sheet of the WALAStones Adhesive Rhinestone Sheets and at first I was wondering what the heck I was going to do with it.

Well, as I let it sit on my table and it sparkled at me each time I walked by, I started thinking of what could I bling up that I currently had in my craft area?

Each time I had an idea, I would jot that down in my phone in my notes and pretty soon I had a list of things to test.

And I had almost all of them in my studio!
The only thing I ordered from the photo above was the Acrylic Makeup Brush Holder.

Supplies used:

– WALAStones Adhesive Rhinestone Sheets
– Acrylic Makeup Brush Holder
– Light switch cover (from my Studio)
– Phone charger *see further below for update on this one
– Business Card holder
– Compact Mirror – Craft Chameleon or Amazon
– Pen Blank
– Tape Dispenser **not pictured above
– Scissors
– Folding Utility Knife

*Now you will see the phone charger blinged up in the photo above, however, after I shared my blanks photo, a group member cautioned about not doing that due to the heat generated.

It looked awesome while it lasted!

But I did remove it easily and simply added it to the side of my water bottle, where it has continued to live ever since.

So, I felt a loss with one of my projects not working out and I still had rhinestone sheet to use.

I needed a new tape dispenser for my Artesprix heat tape that has a small core for the tape roll and Amazon to the rescue.

But, I think I’m going to have to call this one a PHD (Project Half Done). I think it needs more rhinestones added and I’ll have to order another sheet to do that with.
So I will have to do a project update with that when I get my next order.

The compact mirror grew legs quickly and walked off to my daughter’s room, so it was not available for another photo.

Now, do you want to see the process?
I have 2 new videos on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel.

The first video I have included how I used the Silhouette Studio Software to create my templates for a few of the items.

Check it out HERE

And the second video is simply sharing the process of applying the WALA Adhesive Rhinestone Sheets to each of the blanks. While I used the Silhouette Studio software to cut perfect lines for my templates, it is not required and you can easily measure and cut away.

Check out that video HERE

Once I started I just couldn’t stop and I was determined to use up the entire WALA Adhesive Rhinestone Sheet.
Here are the leftovers from the sheet and I made 7 projects out of it.

But now I have to order another sheet because I definitely want to make more of the Rhinestone pens for gifts and my daughter has her eye on mine, so I have to watch it closely.

What are you creating? What sparks a creative energy and you just start brainstorming new project ideas. Is it something sparkly like an Adhesive Rhinestone Sheet?
Let us know in the comments below.

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Enjoy !

THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click HERE & buy a coffee.
Every little bit helps with the cost of running the site.

Looking for more in-depth, step-by-step classes, check out all of my online Silhouette classes on my Teachable site HERE.

Posted on May 6, 2023May 3, 2023 by silhouettesecretsplus — 3 Comments

Creating Templates in Silhouette Studio

In today’s tutorial I’m going to share how I create a template file in Silhouette Studio that can be reused for future projects. In this particular example, I’ll be using an air freshener sublimation blank. But, this same technique can be applied for all kinds of future projects.
This is a great trick to have in your toolbox, especially if you are using the same blanks over and over.

Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Supplies used:

– Sublimation air freshener square blanks from Heat Transfer Warehouse
– Epson F170 sublimation printer
– Epson sublimation ink
– Sublimation paper
– Heat Tape
– Parchment Paper
– Heat Safe Gloves
– Patterns or photos
Patterns in demo below:
– Tie-Dye Pattern by Renee Jablow – Design #330722
– Tropical Watercolor Leopard Print by Sophie Galo – Design #416584
– Do More of What Makes You Happy Phrase by Lori Whitlock – Design #35309
– Sharpie Pen font by Flycatcher Design – Design #299019
– Heat source – Siser Heat Press

Optional:
– Artesprix Protective Pad (heat safe surface)
– Air Purifier (helps with any smells from sublimation)
– Tape dispenser

Silhouette Step-by-Step Tutorials

Check out the full written tutorial below or find a video tutorial on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel HERE.

How to create a Template in Silhouette Studio

Measure sublimation blank.

Use drawing tools in the Silhouette Studio software to draw the shape needed.

Use the Scale Tools under the Transform Panel or the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) at the top to size the template as needed.

With sublimation it is a good idea to make your print a bit larger than actual size, so you have a little wiggle room when placing your image on the blank. Add a small extra border to the exact measurement you took of the blank and use that as your template.

If you plan to print several on the same page, make copies of the template shape.
If needed, check the Show Print Border option on the Page Setup Panel – Tab 1 to see where your printer page margins are and make sure your design won’t get cut off.

When you have the shape, save the file as your template file that can be reused in the future.

When you are ready to use the template file, open it, then choose File > Save As and rename it for your current project.

Now, we can fill the template shapes with the images or patterns for the project.
If your sublimation blanks are double sided, you will need patterns for both sides.

How to Fill in Template Shapes

With Silhouette Studio you have so many options to design within your template shapes.
Here are a couple ways.

Use the Pattern Fill Panel to add a pattern to the shape

Or access larger images of the Patterns folder from the Show/Hide library option by clicking the folder icon in the bottom left corner of the Silhouette Studio Design Tab.

This will open up a split screen between the library and the design area. It can be easier to view things from the library, especially patterns at a larger size.

Or drag and drop a photo from your computer into the shape too!

Add any additional elements to the design you want.
I added a text design Do More of What Makes You Happy Phrase by Lori Whitlock to the top and text for the location using Sharpie Pen font by Flycatcher Design to the bottom one.

If you do add elements and you want both sides to match exactly, make a copy of the one you altered and delete the template. Then they will match exactly.

Make sure to save your file often and keep in mind that the more graphics you add to a file it increases the size of that file. If you find your computer taking longer to process, it could be due to large photos and patterns.

When you are ready to print, go to File > Print and follow the direction for printing to the sublimation printer you have.

Check that the print came out properly. Any text should be mirrored when it prints because it’s an ink transfer.

Sublimation on Air Freshener Blanks

Cut the printed designs apart and secure the print to the sublimation blank with heat tape.

Even though these are double sided, you still want to press each side separately. The side with the print should be the side that is against the top platen of the heat press, so it gets the adequate heat for a full transfer.

Use a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the heat press surface to protect it.
Then place the sublimation blank on top with paper side up.
Cover with another piece of parchment paper to protect the top platen of the press.

Press the sublimation blank according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
For these air fresheners it calls for 400 degrees F for 60 seconds with medium to firm pressure. Hot peel!

Be very careful when removing the items after pressing as they will be hot.
Throw out any parchment paper that has ink on it as it can transfer to the next blanks or your press.
These are a hot peel and you better be quick about it!
I would recommend having heat safe gloves ready to go. I had to run get mine the first time and it was not quick enough.

I found it much easier to press 1 at a time and then after remove the sublimation paper quickly and press it down on my Artesprix Heat Safe Protective Mat to help it stay flat and not curl.

I learned several things during this process.
At first I tried to press 3 at a time. I wasn’t fast enough to remove the paper before they cooled and the paper stuck to the blank. I’ll work on ways to remove that in the future and see if I can save those blanks.

Once cooled, secure the sublimation print to the blank with heat tape on the other side of the blank.
Press again at the recommended time and temperature and quickly remove the sublimation paper.

Important Tips

Follow the instructions for any sublimation blank or material you are using.
These specified “hot peel” and I definitely found that out the hard way. The first 3 I did, did not turn out because I wasn’t fast enough.

Get extra blanks.
Especially if it’s the first time you are working with a material! Extra blanks are always a good idea.

Only press one air freshener at a time so you can work quickly.
Unless you are pressing the entire sheet of fresheners with the same pattern. Then you can do the full sheet with a full printed sheet as Heat Transfer Warehouse showed in this tutorial HERE.
They also share how to scent the fresheners there too!

Keep in mind that when you are pressing a print to a surface, the surface can affect the final colors as well. You can see in my projects that my darker photo of Washington D.C. looks a bit darker and not as bright as the others. That is due to how the photo started and the surface of the blank too!